Telecom
Etisalat Says Public-Private Partnerships Critical for Universal Broadband Plan
Universal broadband is a real target that can be achieved through public private partnerships to promote greater digital, social and financial inclusion in the developing world, observed Mr. Ahmad Julfar, chief executive officer of Etisalat Group.
He was addressing an audience of some of the world’s leading figures in telecommunications at Mobile World Summit (MWS), the premier event of the ongoing 2015 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Julfar also holds the position of Vice Chair of the GSMA, which organizes the annual Congress and unites over 800 telecom operators and over 250 companies that operate in the broader mobile eco system.
He added that the public internet needs to evolve further and this requires investment in capacity, new solutions, technologies andinnovative business models.
The telco sector will not be able to drive this alone, as they face the risk of a big disruption due to the shifts across the value chain.
“Etisalat believes that access to broadband is a basic right for everyone and it can be served smartly, where needed,” he said. “But providing universal access to broadband poses a challenge for telcos because network investments not only have long pay-back periods and capex on infrastructure today yields diminishing returns.”
Julfar said that “new investment models based on semi-public funding from governments or infrastructure-sharing models defined by regulators are urgently needed and should be encouraged.”
Sharing his views on ‘connecting billions across the developing world,’ Julfar said: “The benefits of increasing connectivity are clear to see in economic, social and environmental fields, but there is a clear digital gap. Some 60 per cent of the world’s population remains unconnected, the majority of which is in rural areas of the developing world.”
By 2020, approximately 3.8 billion men and women, or half of the world’s population will be connected to the internet via mobile and a vast majority of the new users will be in developing countries.
“Telecommunications revolutionises everything we do; it is the industry that changes all other industries. Governments know it. That’s why, over the past 10 years, more than 150 governments have developed or are developing national broadband networks. The primary goal is to make the country benefit from the economic impact of broadband. And we share a common interest to keep investing in the future internet.”
The Etisalat Boss proposed a number of changes the telecommunications ecosystem – Governments, Regulators, Internet companies and NGOs – should embrace.
These include: new competitive models to allow telcos to focus on market value creation through collaboration between private and public sectors to distribute more choice, affordability and welfare to citizens.
Julfar added: “Some of the most innovative models today come from emerging countries. Etisalat Group takes a different approach in various developing countries that it operates in, and not one size fits all. Our ability to be flexible to meet individual market need drives our growth across the region. This flexible approach has enabled Etisalat Group to extend service provision for millions of people.”
Etisalat Group today encompasses 19 countries across two continents, and includes dynamic emerging markets across the Middle East, Asia and Africa serving over 182 million subscribers.
Julfar was joined on the panel by HM Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, United Nations Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development; Mr. Jon Fredrik Baksaas, Chairman, GSMA and President and CEO, Telenor Group, and Ms. Ann Cairns, President, International Markets, MasterCard.
With the introduction of Travel Saga, a premium, fast-paced gaming experience that is currently live and accessible to customers on its network, Globacom has lifted the bar for mobile entertainment in the country.
Travel Saga is a story-driven, intricately connected role-playing game designed to provide the thrill, complexity, and competitive intensity of some of the most well-known action games in the world.
The game, which has been painstakingly optimized for mobile devices, redefines mobile gaming as a full-fledged digital battlefield by translating a console-grade experience onto data-enabled handsets.
Fundamentally, Travel Saga takes users on quick virtual journeys against recognizable international landscapes. In a dynamic, ever-evolving gaming environment, players are thrown into furious missions, fierce fights, and ever-expanding tales where talent, strategy, and endurance determine who rises through the ranks to become a true war hero.
In addition to the excitement of fighting, users are encouraged to go to various locations, take part in thrilling challenges, and participate in intense competition for in-app rewards like points and victory badges. With each encounter and accomplishment, the immersion increases with each level, maintaining momentum and excitement.
Flexible subscription plans with one-time or auto-renewal choices are available to subscribers for the service, which costs ₦100 per day and ₦250 per week. By dialing *70021#, customers can quickly subscribe and gain instant access to the action.
With Travel Saga, Glo reaffirms its dedication to innovation and high-end digital experiences, making top-notch gaming easily accessible to its customers. The game offers uninterrupted action, adventure, and competition, all smoothly supported by the Glo network.
SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.
SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.
Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
EFCC to Use Space Technology to Boost Asset Tracking, Investigations
SEC Partners Police in Nationwide Crackdown on Ponzi Schemes, Crypto Frauds
Paystack Expands Beyond Payments into Banking
DalaHill, BoA Partner on $100,000 ACF Climate Finance Initiative
How to Stay Safe Online During Sales Periods
Banks quietly move to enforce new ₦50 transfer levy from Jan. 1
FIRS says NIN, CAC Numbers to Serve as Tax IDs from 2026
Nigeria Takes the Lead in the Global WSIS+20 Digital Agenda
Nigeria Police Arrest Okitipi, Nigerian Allegedly Linked to Microsoft 365 Hack
PalmPay Launches N400 Million World Travel Carnival, Rewarding Users with Free Global Trips
General News3 days agoPalmPay, Premier Cool to Reward 10,000 Nigerians with ₦100m in “10k for 10k Campaign”
E-Financial3 days agoEcobank Joins Trillion-naira Club for the First Time in 20 Years
E-Business3 days agoKaspersky Warns Telecom Threats from 2025 will Carry into 2026 as New Technology Adds New Risk
E-Financial2 days agoAngst as FG Demands 7.5 Percent VAT on Mobile Bank Transfers, USSD
E-Business3 days agoNigerian Terra Industries Secures $11.8m for Expansion
Telecom3 days agoSHELT Named in Prestigious 2025 MSSP 250 List for Cybersecurity Excellence
News2 days agoMoniepoint Launches Second Cohort of DreamDevs Initiative to Double Down on Africa’s Tech Talent Pipeline
E-Financial2 days agoNGX lists 3.156bn UBA shares, boosting capital to N513Bn